The Code Council celebrates passage of the Federal Cost Share Reform Incentive

The International Code Council applauds the inclusion of the Federal Cost Share Reform Incentive as a provision of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate on Feb. 9, 2018. This provision encourages states to adopt the latest building codes, incentivizes states to invest in the resiliency of their communities, and includes additional disaster relief funds of nearly $90 billion.

In partnership with the BuildStrong Coalition, the Code Council has worked with members of Congress and their staff to highlight the importance of pre-disaster mitigation and adopting the latest building codes. The Federal Cost Share Reform Incentive allows post-disaster federal cost-share with states to increase from 75 percent to as high as 85 percent on a sliding scale based on a number of factors including the adoption and enforcement of the latest building codes; the adoption of a mitigation plan; and investments in disaster relief, insurance and emergency management programs. The Act calls on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide guidance, within one year of passage, outlining the specific mitigation measures states may take to increase their Federal share of Stafford Act reimbursements.

“In the wake of a devastating hurricane season and tragic wildfires in California, we are pleased to see the Federal Cost Share Reform Incentive included in the federal budget. This provision is a significant victory for the tax-paying public as it will help reduce the burden of growing financial losses on the federal government and the states due to the increased frequency of natural disasters,” said Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “We will continue to work on the federal, state and local levels to ensure that our communities have the highest level of safety in the industrial world through modern, cost-effective building and safety codes.”

The International Codes (I-Codes), including the International Building Code, International Residential Code, International Plumbing Code and International Mechanical Code, are the most widely used and adopted set of building codes in the U.S. and around the world. Developed through a consensus-based process, the I-Codes incorporate the latest technology and provide the safest, most resilient structures for our families and communities.

This May the International Code Council, its 64,000 members worldwide and a diverse partnership of public and private companies will celebrate Building Safety Month and raise awareness about the importance of regularly updated, modern building codes and the officials who maintain them.